CTC Review: 2009 Mazda6 GS-I4

[CD_Editor]

Day 1:

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Zoom-zoom-zoom for me again this week -- this time, the latest zoom-zoom added to Mazda's line-up for 2009, the all new and redesigned Mazda6.  A little larger for this year, the new Mazda6 has a few design cues from the RX-8, such as the flared fenders.  My tester is a base model GS-I4 with comfort package and automatic transmission, which is likely to be the best selling version.  More...

[safristi]

STAY TUNED...Oooh will Batman avoid the Joker.....will he assume tha zoom position....i'm on tha edge of my heated SEAT and i'm not Spanish......................

[tortoise]

Beautiful car.  I love the interior.  But good lord, those are the ugliest wheels I've seen on a Mazda.  Ever.

[bibs]

I hate to see the rain sensing wipers forced upon the unsuspecting public. They don't work. My wife's '06 Mazda 3 has them, and they are terrible in anything but steady, warm, rain. Winter, mist, etc, they don't work worth a damn, forcing you to run the wipers at "low" speed or manually forcing one wipe at a time. So I checked the manual: "rain sensing wipers will not function properly below -10 degrees". Well, that means several weeks or months, for some!

For me a deal breaker.

[wing]

A deal breaker? Ummmmmmm  You turn them off and the wipers work like regular wipers -- why is this a problem?

[carcrazy]

Simply the best car in the class IMO.

[Feds]

I've cross-posted this on a zillion sites, but I feel this is a rare mistake by Mazda's product planners.

When you are not the Camry or the Accord, you need to offer a compelling reason for people to get into the showrooms.  Mazda had that in the previous 6 Wagon & Hatch.  They obviously didn't sell enough to justify their existence, but the fact that they did exist was a reason for people to come look at the 6 lineup, even if they ended up with the sedan.

Now they have a car that is less distinguishable from Camry and Accord.  What reason does the average buyer have to get them to take a look at this over a CamCord?

It especially chaps my bottom as Mazda has enough of a parts bin to at least put in some distinctive powertrains.  Slot the DI turbo 4 under the V-6, make AWD optional across the board, revive your K-series V-6's.  Give people a reason to come shop you vs. the mainstays. 

[sirAQUAMAN64]

I miss the passing of the hatch a great deal, but otherwise a home run for Mazda. They already seem to be advertising the sucker enough to ensure it's on people's radar.

[Giant Dwarf]

Bibs, like James said, if you don't like the use of the auto wipers (which, I admit, I don't in my wife's Mazda3 either), simply shut the function off.  If THIS is a deal breaker,I can't imagine you'd find a car so perfect to ever buy!

Feds, having not yet driven a new Mazda6, but read a few early reports, I believe the differentiator for the Mazda6 is still (as it was before) a comfortable, stylish, mid-size sedan that puts more emphasis on sport than do Toyota, Honda and Nissan for their respective, competitive models. 

As stated though, the loss of the hatchback and wagon, and a proper transmission with the V6 are all lamentable, but I guess the sales (or rather, lack thereof) are why these versions aren't still available.  We as consumers have nobody to blame but ourselves for not buying 'em.

[safristi]

..having SAT in ONE...makes me an ex_spurt!! ......but apart from the low headliner in the 4 Cyl wif Sun?moon /Mars?saturn ROOF...V impressive...maybe i should drive ONE before bloviating!!!???

[Wolfe]

..having SAT in ONE...makes me an ex_spurt!! ......but apart from the low headliner in the 4 Cyl wif Sun?moon /Mars?saturn ROOF...V impressive...maybe i should drive ONE before bloviating!!!???

Before ?!?

 

[safristi]

  damn ...someone still read my POSTS......    BS = Before Safristi.....

[Loudpedal]

I sat in a new 6 this weekend and I too liked it, the interior especially.  The exterior might be a *tad* overstyled for this segment.

Of particular note is the housing for the exterior mirrors.  For some reason the black plastic surround (visibile when sitting in the car and looking at either the left or right mirror) is huge.   It's hard to articulate, but it's almost distracting.  James, how do you find it when driving and looking in the side view mirrors?  

[rrocket]

Simply the best car in the class IMO.

I'll wait until I see real world fuel mileage.  Mazdas have always been disappointing in this regard.  Hopefully the new engine is better.

[Cortina]

I wonder how much of the Ford Mondeo got threw. B/C the Mazda 6 is based on the same platform as the Mondeo. So It would be very interesting to compare them side by side. But we will never get a chance here in Canadaland. Still I really like the looks.

[gpws2k]

I wonder how much of the Ford Mondeo got threw. B/C the Mazda 6 is based on the same platform as the Mondeo. So It would be very interesting to compare them side by side.

I might be mistaken but I seem to recall reading somewhere (edmunds perhaps) that the european Mondeo platform was ditched in favour of stretching/revamping the previous generation 6 chassis in order to end up with a larger car to suit the north american market.

According to the sometimes reliable Wikipedia, the latest generation Mondeo is based on the Ford EUCD platform.  The 2009 Mazda6 is indicated as being underpinned by Ford's CD3 platform, which as I mentioned previously, is the same as the first generation car.  I'm guessing the CD in both names means they share some design aspects but the new car is definitely more closely related to the old car than anything available across the Pond.

[Cortina]

I wonder how much of the Ford Mondeo got threw. B/C the Mazda 6 is based on the same platform as the Mondeo. So It would be very interesting to compare them side by side.

I might be mistaken but I seem to recall reading somewhere (edmunds perhaps) that the european Mondeo platform was ditched in favour of stretching/revamping the previous generation 6 chassis in order to end up with a larger car to suit the north american market.

According to the sometimes reliable Wikipedia, the latest generation Mondeo is based on the Ford EUCD platform.  The 2009 Mazda6 is indicated as being underpinned by Ford's CD3 platform, which as I mentioned previously, is the same as the first generation car.  I'm guessing the CD in both names means they share some design aspects but the new car is definitely more closely related to the old car than anything available across the Pond.

I see now, So more Fusion.   

[Mitlov]

I see now, So more Fusion.   

The first-gen Mazda6 predated the Fusion, so I wouldn't agree that the second-gen Mazda6 is "based on the Fusion" or anything.

[rrocket]

^^^^"Mazda say the new second generation 2008 Mazda 6 is lighter than it’s predecessor - something that breaks the tradition of newly released cars getting heavier and heavier with every generation. The new Mazda 6 does not share a platform with the Mondeo’s EUCD platform, instead uses a revised version of first generation CD3 platform."

CD3 Platform cars:

    * 2003–present Mazda 6
    * 2006–present Ford Fusion (CD338)
    * 2006–present Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ (CD378)
    * 2006–present Mercury Milan (CD338)
    * 2007 Mazda CX-9 crossover SUV
    * 2007 Ford Edge crossover SUV (U338)
    * 2007 Lincoln MKX crossover SUV

CD3-(2) Platform Cars:

    * 2008 Mazda 6
    * 2010 Ford Fusion
    * 2010 Mercury Milan
    * 2010 Lincoln MKZ
    * 2011 Ford Edge
    * 2011 Lincoln MKX

[carcrazy]

Simply the best car in the class IMO.

I'll wait until I see real world fuel mileage.  Mazdas have always been disappointing in this regard.  Hopefully the new engine is better.

I hear you. If you go by the EPA estimates, Mazda6 I4 AT (21/30/24) is on par with the Accord (21/30/24) and Camry (21/31/25).
In real world, your mileage may vary, but this is totally true for any car. For comparison purposes however, EPA estimates are a good reference.

The reason I consider Mazda6 the best in class is that it's as good or better than the best in class in every major aspect.